Issey Miyake, an icon of fashion, was the one who designed the jackets for Sony. Jobs quickly contacted Miyake, as he was fascinated by how Japanese fashion could come back to America. Miyake and Jobs quickly became friends and started working on a uniform for Apple. They came down to a simple turtleneck that is now seen as a part of fashion and technology history. When the idea of a uniform was presented to the company, “everybody hated the idea,” stated Jobs. This led him to take on the signature look for himself.
Issey Miyake ended up making over 100 turtlenecks for Jobs. Enough to last him the rest of his lifetime. Issey Miyake was a pioneer in his field, as he was the first foreign designer to show at Paris Fashion Week and made “comfort dressing” popular. Miyake was always interested in rising technology and tried to find a way to tie his fashion to a growing industry. Today, Miyake’s pieces still stand in many famous museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
The choice of a black turtleneck was also found to be very strategic. The color black is often associated with depth and elegance, two words that largely resonate with Apple as a brand. His fashion choice was also comforting, as most big company CEOs wore traditional black suits. This gave it a more inviting and familiar sense. It was a subtle yet powerful tool that helped him command attention and convey a sense of seriousness and purpose.
Jobs’ decision to adopt the turtleneck for his personal uniform marked a turning point in the image of tech leaders. The familiarity of Jobs’s fashion statement made a remarkable stride for Apple, as it gave an interesting meaning to a not-so-interesting item. The turtleneck has stuck to him for years. When looking back at videos from the first introduction of the iPhone in 2007 to the announcement of iCloud, Jobs is portrayed with the same look every single time.
In a broader context, the collaboration between Issey Miyake and Steve Jobs brought together two rising forces that were usually set apart: technology and fashion. Jobs wore the turtlenecks until the end of his life in 2011. The black turtleneck is now seen as a symbol of Apple and innovation.
